


All Things Must Pass

by john_paul_george_ringo



Category: Queen (Band)
Genre: F/M, Family Bonding, Mentioned Freddie Mercury, Post-Freddie Mercury's Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:15:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27740608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/john_paul_george_ringo/pseuds/john_paul_george_ringo
Summary: It's early December 1991. John Deacon his struggling with the loss of one of his closest friends and has isolated himself from his family. Veronica persuades him to join the family for dinner and he remembers just how much he needs his family and how much they need him...
Relationships: John Deacon/Veronica Tetzlaff
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	All Things Must Pass

The days since the night of November 24th 1991 had been bleak to say the least. As much as Veronica had tried, she couldn't seem to get John out of their shared bedroom. It had been almost a week and she knew she couldn't even be able to comprehend the pain that he was experiencing constantly, however she knew that it was unhealthy for him to be isolated from everyone for so long.

Veronica was well aware of his struggles with depression. Since 1985, she had served John his morning black coffee with one sugar along with a side of antidepressant pills. She was also aware of how much the loss of his father had effected him. 

Very early on in their relationship, John did admit that he could barely remember his childhood due to the trauma of loosing a parent and had also taken Ronnie to visit his dad's grave. She was so grateful that he was willing to be vulnerable in front of her and she had also shared a part of her life with him. She had guided him to the church next to the graveyard and had lit his father a candle. Ronnie had done this every Sunday from then on. And now she would light a second one - for Freddie. 

John lay in his bed as he had since that night, only getting up to visit the ensuite bathroom. Every time, he would avoid looking at his own reflection as he could only picture Freddie beside him. 

He wept gently, wiping a tear from his eye as he thought of Fred, each memory bringing along a new tear with it. John had been told by many people that Freddie wouldn't have wanted him to be sad - yet the only thing that could bring him joy was having his friend back. 

-*-*-*-*- 

Veronica paused before she knocked on the door to the bedroom. Breathing deeply, she prepared herself for the broken version of her husband that she would yet again see. 

Her fist reached up and knocked twice on the door. 

"John... it's only me. Can I come in?" She asked softly from behind the door. 

A mumbled "yes" responded so she carefully turned the knob of the door - wary of the tea and drawing that she carried. 

"Hi honey," Veronica said with a sympathetic smile, "I got you some tea and uh, Josh drew you a picture." 

He sat up and his eyes followed her around the room as she set his tea down on the bedside table and then picked up the discarded tissues that littered the floor. Veronica then moved to John and lightly kissed his forehead and sat on the bed facing him. 

"Thanks, love." He responded, a weak mumble. John eyed the piece of paper laying next to him. Veronica noticed this, and handed it to him. 

"He said it's of all of us. And there," she pointed towards the top of the drawing "that's uh F-Freddie in heaven." Her eyes met his and a tear rolled down his cheek. 

John wiped it with his palm and responded. "It's lovely, you've got to tell him and p-put it on the fridge..." 

She sighed. 

"I..." her voice trailed off, thinking carefully before she spoke. "I think you should tell him yourself. The... the kids need you honey..." she held her hand to his cheek. "And I understand if you need more time I just... I just know that they need to know... that you're o-okay. They don't really understand all of this." Ronnie's voice cracked as she finished the sentence, noting the pain that she saw in his grey eyes that were once filled with such happiness like on those days when he came back from a tour and could see the five faces that he loved the most. 

Veronica once again kissed him and stood up. "You can join us for dinner, if you're up to it..." and she returned to the kitchen. 

-*-*-*-*-  
Heaving himself out of bed, John headed to the bathroom to wash his tear-stained face. This time he did look at his reflection, reassuring himself. He wasn't sure why, it was just dinner with the family, something he had done hundreds of times yet part of him felt shy to see the children again. 

He had heard Ronnie at the door the other day, pleading that Michael just left Dad to himself for a bit, so what if they didn't love him anymore. 

"That's stupid," he whispers and without a thought (because otherwise he would have second guessed himself - several times) he left the room. 

On his way downstairs he passed his only daughters bedroom. She had wanted it pink when they first decorated it, however she had - countless times - expressed to her parents that she wanted it redecorated but they hadn't got round to it. He could hear Laura chatting on the phone to what he could only assume was her school friend. 

John stopped for a moment, just listening. 

"Oh my god! In my maths class today, I meant to tell you, Mr Harrison fell off his chair!" Laura exclaimed. "Yeah, yeah it was soon funny! I wish you were there, I almost wet myself!" 

John smiled at this. She'd grown up so fast. Already in her first year of High School and loving it. A small box near the door was brought to John's attention. It was labelled DONATIONS and was filled with her beloved barbies that she had once cherished. 

His mind set him back to the times where Laura would explain the intricate plots of her games to him. 

-*-*-*-*-  
The year was 1987, Laura would have been about eight or nine, and both John and Veronica were sat in the playroom, listening to Laura's explanation of the story that her dolls were partaking in and drinking tea. 

Once she had finished, John responded. "Hold on, so they're all called Barbie?" 

"Yeah I couldn't think of any more names and all the boxes say Barbie on them." She had replied, looking up at her dad. 

"Ah I see," He said. "Very original." 

Veronica gave John the death stare that said 'don't wind her up or there will be tears' and Laura sighed, turning to her mother. 

"Mummy," 

"Mhm," 

"Is Daddy being schizophrenic?" 

Veronica began choking on her tea, John laughing hysterically from across the room. 

"What?" Laura asks, confused as to why her parents were laughing. "Schizophrenic. You said it was when someone says something that's the opposite of what they mean, right?" 

"Oh god honey," Veronica giggled, trying to compose herself, "that's called being sarcastic!" 

"Oh."  
-*-*-*-*- 

That memory had always made him laugh. And now his daughter was twelve, and throwing out what used to be her favourite toys. John would have to keep just one - for the memory. 

He carefully picked up the Barbie that was always the fairy princess or the doctor, saving lives, and held it close to him as he returned to his room to place it into his bedside draw. He'd find a home for it eventually, but it could stay there for now. 

He felt that he was loosing his little girl. His only little girl. Looking back, John had definitely treated his daughter like a princess and Veronica had been slightly annoyed at this. Her argument was that she had carried her for nine months, given birth to her and then she grew up to favour her father. He had grinned at this, especially since her and the children had a special bond as she spent the most time with them whilst he went on tour. 

He had always resented going on tour for so long. Of course it was absolutely amazing, but every time he returned home, he had felt detached from the family. Each member has specific things to do each day, be it homework or clubs. 

John would sit on the couch, rather overwhelmed as Veronica ran around the house, washing clothes, taking someone to swimming lessons, someone else to Scouts, all while being pregnant or with a child on her hip. 

He thought of this as he left the doorway. 

John also walked past Michael's bedroom. The door was closed and had a large sign on the front that read I AM STUDYING PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE. The 'please' had been added by Veronica because she had said it needed to be more polite. Typical, he thought. That was Ronnie for you. 

The opening chords of Whole Lotta Love met John's ears. "Ah so he's 'discovered' Led Zeppelin," he thought. 

Michael was always coming to his father to discuss music and ask him for recommendations. John had always given him a record or tape from his vast collection to borrow. 

Mike was the second oldest and most like his father, rather shy but an amazing listener, or at least that's what Ronnie said. 

This reminded him of an evening in October of last year... 

-*-*-*-*- 

Sat on the living room couch was John, scribbling down lyrics, and Veronica - curled up in a blanket with a book. 

The oldest Deacon child, Robert, was sat on the floor, finishing up on some homework. Both younger children - Laura and Josh - were out at friends houses for sleepovers. At that moment Mike walks in, carring a record. 

They look up. "Ah, you've finished it then?" John says, pointing to the vinyl in his hand. 

"Oh yeah. It was... confusing." Mike responded. 

"Which album is that one?" Veronica asks. 

"White album." John responds. "Yeah it is pretty complicated but some of the songs are amazing. Now I think of it, you should listen to Abbey Road... it's got more pop aspects to it." 

"What songs are on it... that I'd know?" Mike asks. 

"Come together." John says. 

"Here comes the sun." Robert says. 

"Something." Ronnie says. 

"I don't think I know that one." Mike responds. 

Veronica gasps. 

"You don't?" She exclames. "Your father and I danced to that at our wedding!" 

"Well I wasn't there, was I?" 

"I was." Rob responds. 

John and Veronica playfully roll their eyes at him. 

"You weren't, Rob. Mum and Dad got married in January, right?" 

John nodds. 

"So that means that... oh..." Michael says, finally understanding. 

"Yep, I was already pregnant but we couldn't tell anyone obviously because..." Veronica trailed off, slightly embarrassed, almost as much as when Robert had counted back nine months from his birthday. 

"Right... Abbey Road." Mike says, carefully flipping through the alpabetised record collection, next to the stereo. 

"You'll find that under 'B', Mike. For Beatles." Robert explains to his brother, as if Mike didn't already know where to look. 

"I am. I'm not stupid you know!" Mike shouts at this brother. 

"Yeah, right!" Robert shouts back, sarcastically. 

"Oi pack it in, you two." John says - neither of them listen. 

Veronica's eyes met her husbands as the exchange a look of dismay. 

"You always act as is if I'm stupid!" Mike shouts, quite offended. He'd never been amazing at school, academically, but shone in subjects such as music and art. 

"Which I'm not, by the way!" He continues. 

"And you constantly make fun of me at school, in front of my friends! I know I'm shit in school but you don't have to constantly treat me like I'm an absolute moron!" He screems the last part and hastily, ignoring the search for the record he leaves the room - slamming several doors on his way to his and Roberts shared bedroom. 

Veronica winced at each slam, all three speechless at what had just occurred. 

"It was just a joke I-" Robert trailed off, ashamed non the less. 

"I know Rob, but he's... sensitive at the moment, a little insecure. Maybe you should go and apologise." Ronnie suggested, she was normally the words of wisdom post-argument. 

"No... I think I'd better go and talk to him." John responds as he flicks through the records until he locates the album. 

Leaving the room, John treads up the stairs, clutching his Abbey Road album. He had originally owned the first release, however someone - most likely a heavily pregnant Veronica - had trodden on it years prior. 

He approached the room and knocked softly before entering. 

As he entered the room he sees a distraught Mike lying on his bed, facing the wall. 

The boy sniffles as he turns to face his father. 

"Hi." John says, awkwardly breaking the silence. 

"I'm fine... really... you can just leave me alone." The boy responds. 

"I'm afraid I can't do that. One, your mother would kill me and two, I feel that you may need to talk about what just happened," the man explains. 

"Oh. Yeah... I... just constantly feel like I- I'm not good enough. It sounds stupid I know but I-" 

"It's not. You know I used to feel that I wasn't good enough, you should have read my Poety essays I wrote as school... they were definitely... insightful..." John laughs. 

"But the point is," he continues, "you just have to find the things that you like and are good at and stick with them. And we can always get you some extra maths lessons if you really want." 

"Ye...yeah. Thanks, Dad." Mike sits up and gives his father a hug. 

"Anytime. And if you just want a chat, you can." 

And, after breaking the hug, John stands up, hands his son the record and says: "It is a really good album. Have a listen before dinner, yeah?" 

Mike nods. 

Satisfied with the chat, John exits. 

-*-*-*-*- 

Back in reality, John sighs, terrified that he'd somehow ruined the relationship between Mike and himself. He had told him that he could always come and chat and now, he had isolated himself from his children. 

A pang of guilt flew through John's heart as he went down the stairs. His eyes were drawn to the dent on the 9th step - from when a slightly unfocused John had dropped a hammer whilst attempting to put one of his gold discs on the wall. Gold discs, that were a constant reminder of Freddie. 

He tried not to think as he shuffled through the dimly lit corridor that led towards the kitchen, where he would most likely discover the rest of the family. 

On his way, he had come to a stop at the entrance to the playroom, where Laura had famously taken her first steps, where Robert had walked into that wall and had to go to the hospital for 12 stitches, where Mike had decided to create a work of art on that same wall, where Joshua was now sat, also creating his own art, but on paper. 

John looked down to the drawing that Veronica had handed him before. 

Joshua had never really been one to draw, he always enjoyed playing on the computer that the two of them had been working on, figuring out which button did what and so on. 

His mind casted back... 

-*-*-*-*- 

"That's the computer then, Dad?" Josh exclaimed, excitedly. 

The two of them were in the study, John opening the large cardboard box which encased the new computer. 

"Yes, it's going to take a while to set up. Maybe you should go and..." 

The word that John was looking for play or something similar which would keep Josh away long enough for John to look over the instructions. 

"Help?" Josh asked, with a gigantic grin on his face. 

Not wanting to upset his son, John said yes and the two of them had began to set it up. After stopping for lunch and then and then again dinner, the two of them had been fiddling around for the whole day. 

Noticing that the room was awfully silent, John looked around for Josh. 

Assuming that he had gotten bored and gone elsewhere, John decided to call it a day, and find his wife. 

As he left the room, he peered inside the large cardboard box, that once held the computer, but it held his youngest son. 

Smiling at this, John couldn't resist grabbing the camera and taking a picture of Josh, and then carefully picked him up and carried him upstairs. 

Veronica, who had just helped the other children get to bed, passed her husband on the stairs. 

"I wondered where he was. Was just going to look for him." She says. 

"Yeah we were working on the computer, it got quiet, I'd just assumed he was with you or something. Turns out he was asleep in a cardboard box!" 

Both share a giggle. 

"Please tell me you got pictures!" Veronica asked, though the laughter. 

"Of course!" John replied. 

-*-*-*-*- 

He now neared the kitchen, overheaing the conversation occurring between Robert and Veronica. 

"...I can see if I know any of the answers, Rob, if you're struggling." 

"Mum, its GCSE physics. What do you know about GCSE physics?" 

"I could give it a go..." 

The beep of the timer went off. 

"That'll be the chicken." 

As he stood in the doorway, John mentally prepared himself. 

Sensing his presence, Veronica turned around, with a massive grin. It was that same massive grin he'd seen as she had walked down the asle to him on their wedding day - even if she had just been sick due to morning sickness and nerves. 

She ran to hug him, completely forgetting the chicken. 

He engulfed her in his embrace, feeling somewhat sentimental. 

She whispers in his ear, "I knew you could do it, I love you." 

They pull away and John sits next to Rob. 

"Hi Dad. Do you happen to know anything about physics?" He asks, absent-mindedly. 

"No, sorry," he responds. "Oh Veronica..." 

She turns around. "Yes?" 

"The chicken." 

"Oh shit..." her voice trailed off, as she retrieved the oven gloves and took the burned chicken out. 

"Did mummy just say a naughty word?" Joshua appears in the doorway. He notices his father and grins. 

"Oh no the chicken's burned!" Veronica examines, defeated. 

"Hi Josh," John says to the child, picking him up and sitting him on his lap. 

Veronica notices this and smiles to herself even if their meal was ruined. She knew John could do it and she was right also - he needed time. 

"Is there anything I can do to help, Mum?" Robert asked. Always responsible, as John had said. 

"Oh yes honey go find the Chinese menu. We might as well order it," she turns to John, "unless you want some charred chicken." 

As this ordeal took place John smiled at Josh. 

"Y'know, Josh, I'm very impressed with this drawing. Said to mum that it should go on the fridge." 

The fridge featured certificates, awards won, photographs of the whole family and there were always drawings on it. Josh looked over the moon at this. 

"Really?" The boy asked. 

"Really." His father replied. "And I was thinking if maybe you want to help me on the computer this weekend." 

Josh nodded and slipped off of his father's lap so that he could put the picture up on the fridge. 

John decided to locate his wife. 

He found her in the living room looking at the menu. 

"I'm going to guess you want the stir-fry?" She turned around as she spoke. 

"Oh I thought you were Rob, what do you want?" 

"I'll have the stir-fry, I think." He said with a hint of a smile. 

She smiled too. 

"I'm so glad you've come downstairs. Y'now to eat with us." She shifted on her feet. 

"I just felt that nows the time. And I think I'll be spending quite a lot of time at home cause..." he didn't finish she sentence. Veronica knew his answer anyway. 

"I know," she says with her sympathetic smile. "It's been hard and I'm proud that you've taken this step, love." She walked towards him and hugged him again. 

He heard footsteps approaching the room. 

"Mum! Rob said we were having Chinese but I-" her voice was cut off when she opened the door and saw her parents stood there, just having broken the hug. 

She grinned as her mother had and ran to her fathers arms. 

"DAD!" She cried, so pleased to see her father. Then she began to talk, explaining her day in school in perfect detail, still in her father's embrace. 

He was now grinning too. 

-*-*-*-*- 

The food had arrived and Veronica was busy scrubbing the burned tray, that had once held the chicken. 

Robert was chatting to his father as the two of them arranged each meal on a plate. 

"I was wondering if you'd teach me to drive, sometime, if you're not busy." 

"Okay but we're not taking the porche. We'll take Mum's, easier to replace." John responded, with a little laugh. 

Veronica rolled her eyes before smirking as she spoke. 

"Are you sure you want your dad to take you Robert? Only because he lost his licence for a year. Not sure if he's properly... equipped to teach. " She quipped, eyes locking with John's, playfully. 

Robert, sensing this playfulness, just suggested that he got an instructor because the last thing he wanted was 'family tension' as he had put it. 

Josh was in setting the table, unaware of the conversation, as Laura tried her best to cary a very heavy jug of water. She stuck her tounge out as she focused - just like Ronnie always did. 

Mike was nowhere to be seen. 

"Frog, have you seen your brother?" Veronica asked, as she wiped her hands on her towel. 

Frog was his nickname ever since Veronica had misheard John when he had suggested Robert for a name. She had thought he said ribbet - the sound a frog makes. 

"Which one?" Robert replied. 

"Michael." 

"That one? No. Maybe he's upstairs." 

Veronica sighed. 

"Everything alright?" John asked, sending something was up, or else Ronnie wouldn't have sighed. 

"He's been on edge. He won't talk to me about it. But I suspect something's happening at school." She sighed again. 

"I'll go get him... tell him it's time to eat." 

-*-*-*-*- 

The sound coming out of the room was music. As John walked closer, he noted that it was Abbey Road playing. 

Slowly, John opened the door. 

"It's dinner, mum wanted you to know." He looked at his son, immediately noticing that something was wrong. 

Mike was laying on his bed, and looking up, John could see that he had been crying. 

"You alright." He asked calmly. 

The boy shook his head before bursting into tears. 

John raced to sit down and held Mike close as he cried. 

Between tears, Mike explained. 

"I was in class... I was so confused... But the teacher's useless... I'd always ask for help and he'd just tell me that I should already know the answers... Anyway.... today.... he picked on me for the answer. I guessed and it was wrong... Everyone laughed at me and so did the teacher...." 

"When was this?" John asked as he handed Mike a tissue. 

"The other day." The boy sniffled. "I wanted to talk to you about it... Mum never really understands these things - she'd just complain to the school. I didn't want to worry her anyway... she was worried about you." 

John almost teard up at the last part. 

"You know how I can't sing?" John had said after a moment of silence. 

Mike nodded and so John continued. 

"They didn't even give me a microphone until 1974. And that was only so I could play the triangle. Anyway, one time, they turned my mic up, and it just so happened to be one that they recorded. So if you listen... I think it was You're My Best Friend, you can hear me singing. I was awfully embarrassed, couldn't sleep for a week over it. It seems silly looking back now, but the point is that embarrassing stuff happens to everyone. And with your situation, we can do stuff to change that. If you really want, I can have a little chat, see if you can move class hm?" 

Mike smiled. 

"Really?" 

"Really." 

The two hugged once again and made their way downstairs to eat. 

-*-*-*-*-  
During the meal, Laura explained how her maths teacher had fallen off his chair (the same one who had picked on Mike), Josh had expressed interest in a new video game for his birthday, Robert told the family about the tests he had next week, and Michael had even cracked a couple of jokes. 

After eating, family sat on the couch together. Eventually, one by one, the kids went to bed. 

"John." Veronica says. 

He glanced up at her. 

"Thank you. I know life's not back to normal, and I don't think it will be, not for a long time... But I'm happy that you're here... Having dinner... taking to Mike..." she trailed off. 

"I love you Veronica, always will. As cheesy as it does sound... you're my best friend." The two kissed and after a while, Veronica went up to bed. 

Guess Rog's song was right, John thought.... 

Those were the days of our lives, 

The bad things in life were so few, 

Those days are all gone now but one thing is true, 

When I look, 

And i find, 

I still love you

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh this is the first fic I've written and it's a little dark but I hope you like it. Also note my shameless namedropping of the beatles in this and I've used a lot of language you may not know if you're not from the UK so if you don't understand it please let me know! I hope to write more fics if people like this and thanks for reading :)


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